The present invention relates to utility knives, and in particular, relates to utility knives for cutting corrugated plastic sheets.
Corrugated plastic sheet basically is sold by a number of different manufacturers and comprises two opposed plastic sheet layers connected by a series of small elongate webs. Corrugated plastic sheet is most commonly used as an inexpensive substrate for temporary signs such as election signs or other similar applications. For some applications, it is necessary to trim the substrate to a particular size and the substrate is typically cut between the parallel webs. It may also be necessary to cut across the webs to effect trimming at the end of the substrate (cross-cut).
Corrugated plastic sheet is not limited to flat applications and in some cases, it is desirable to cut the sheet on only one side thereof to allow the second layer to form a live hinge.
Hook shaped knives for pulling through plastic sheet or foam sheet are known and it is also known to have a knife with two cutting surfaces and two guides for cutting of corrugated plastic sheet. This latter knife is of a complicated design in that the guides are mechanically fastened to a central member and the product is expensive to manufacture.
A flute knife according to the present invention comprises a handle, a blade shank and a pair of elongate guide members. The blade shank extends from one end of the handle and has a projecting portion at a free end of the blade shank. The projecting portion includes two separate rearwardly facing cutting edges. The cutting edges are separated from each other by one of the pair of elongate guide members with the other elongate guide member being located at a forward face of the blade shank. The blade shank is of a metal material and the guides are of a plastic material and partially encase a limited portion of the blade shank.
According to an aspect of the invention, the guide members are integrally connected.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the guide members extend in a parallel-like manner beyond the blade shank and extend across the blade shank on both sides of the blade shank.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the guide members are integrally connected and include a connecting portion that extends through the blade shank.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the blade shank includes a notched top edge portion and the guide members are integrally connected within the notched top edge.
In a further aspect of the invention, the guide members are injected molded onto the blade shank.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the guide members and the handle portion are injected molded onto the blade shank and are of a nylon material.